New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-01-12
Gov. Met ellis Inaugural.


Gov. McG ellis Inaugural.
The now governor Of Minnesota delivered
the following inaugural address to the two
houses of the legislature in joint session:
INAUGURAL. ADDRESS.
Senators and REPRESENTATIVES: In assuming
the duties of the Office of governor. to which
nave lecn duly chosen by the electors OF the
state, IL becomes my duty. in accordance with a
well established custom. to address you on such
matters of public concern as appear TO me
worthy Ct your attention and consideration. But
1Tst desire to bear testimony to the ability and
fidelity with which the duties Of the position
have been administered during the last five
years by my predecessor, Gov. Hubbard. His
closing act Of an administration that. honors
alike himself and our great state which he has
go faIs hfully served, and entities him to the
thanks nf q grateful people.
POLITICAL PLATFORMS AND PLEDGES.
BY reading the platforms OF the two leading
political parties Of this state. adopted in their
Sbsezved that liberal promises were made in
both. On a number of subjects they seem to
have been in full accord. For instance, in re-
needy survivors of the Union army in our state:
Cne aDollshlng of the contract system of prison
hnaa sne amendment Of our railroad aa
agrlculGural classes; the establishment of a
b sGage bureau of labor statistics, and in other
OF sentiment. ! am hound to believe that both
conventions were sincere il their declarations,
@hu snaI you, as representatives of the people.
elected on the platform of one or the other of
gne Two great parties are here in good faith to
redeem the pledges made. believe that the
{S IRie nave right to expect from us strict
stand ready to do my part to carry them out in
good faith. II 1t has been customary heretofore
I0I legislatures to disregard the issues on which
TMney We're elected, let the custom be broken.
honesty and good faith IN a political party are
as much to be admired as like attributes in an
individual
~ RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
LIE subject of transportaGion-of reasonable
OaIll rates on our railroads-is of supreme in
selest 70 the people Of the state and have no
. aoup5 Will secure your earnest attention The
aght OF the legislature to pass laws for the
SUPERVISION Of railroads has been for number
OF years Well settled. This right was not how
ever. established without severe and protracted
a.0ruggie. we'll remember that when in 1870 it
xas nrst advocated by the then governor of this
siGlon was received with much doubt. Not ONLY
I'LL tne railroad officials and capitalists opposed
g., . put large majority Of the lawyers Of the
fundamental law of the land, and opposed to the
gen!us OF our institutions However in the fol-
low year bill was passed by the legislature,
1 uu wlGh Inc approval Of the governor became a
a WI. nxlng rates. both freight and passenger.
np to Inc same time similar legislation was en-
s eGsea IN several other Northwestern states.
e n were instituted in this state, in Illinois,
a ,na. perhaps in some other of the North
western western states. under the so-called
n aapsuf laws, against Ed various railroad
laws The enactments were experimental and
10 10 doubt crude and ill-adapted to the exlgen-
pose OF securing judicial sanction and vindica-
4 gnon OF the right of legislative control The
yuuiclai decisions obtained under them, not only
- ehe 81 ate courts but in the supreme court Of
4 sne United States as well, settled forever the
a tI;ppns1ltutlonal1ty Of such laws, and confirmed
sne authority OF the legislature Thus
hn vic
A secured free people. The expediency of state
ss!upervls.ol over railroad and kindred corpora
Z gong fas sometimes been doubted since then
out the right is no longer questioned.
II do not take it to be the policy of the state to
needlessly interfere with or to harass any great
interest, and more especially the railroad inter
ests OF the commonwealth That railroads have
become indispensable to commercial and agri-
cultural prosperity, if not to the very existence
OF the civilization Of the century, no one needs
be to turn back the wheels Of progress to the
very portals of the dark ages. But their supreme
importance makes it only the more essential
that they should be so judiciously managed and
controlled as to develop the highest efficiency
and usefulness OF which they are capable, not
simply wealth producers to their managers
and proprietors, but as engines powerful for
good to the masses Of the people as we'll
The very fact that every city. town and village
strives for the most ample railroad facilities is
tribute to their value which no one can gainsay.
Il Any movement to Cypress cripple these inter
& ests, simply to satisfy popular clamor. would
6he people themselves There is often a wide
but honest divergence of opinion between the
masses who use and desire to profit by the roads
and their managers and owners. They view
matters from different standp0ints, and often
bach does the other injustice. The duty of the
state is to find the middle ground-the happy
mean between the extreules-and having found
4 It. there to establish, with firm but impartial
hand the great and often intricate relations be-
busine and pay their dividends.
The policy Of this state after some legislative
-agctuation, has settled upon board Of com
(which to accomplish this end. NY Judgment
|concurs in this policy, and that safety to both
teides lies in board OF able. incorruptible men,
with ample powers to enforce their DEGREES.
Though railroads in this country are not built
with public funds, they can not be classed as
ID private property. They common carriers,
and, even under the common law, are under
certain obligations and certain duties tc the
public. Their franchises are grant from the
Il state, and they possess no essential powers not
la'conferrcd by The state Therefore it is from the
n people that they obtain life and authority, and
their accountability to the people logically fol-
lows. The public interest in such corporations,
Though not one Of invested capital, is real and
Rubstantial and one that the state canuot in it's
Auty to the public cease to protect. The right
Sf control on the part of the state is but a fair
@stgrn for the powers and privileges conferred.
y9lhis right indeed would seem to be inherent and
anfeaslble in the state. It ls even to be doubted
9f the state could divest itself Of the duties and
responsibilities implied, were it so disposed.
ri glnere IS DuI llJGie or no organization among
che farmers of the state for mutual protection,
and In the matter of freights and the inspection
and grading of grain their interests are specially
3sammitted to the railroad and warehouse COM
missioners. AS rule, other Industries have
more complete organization and are much bet
ter qualified to care for themselves. The rail-
| rosds. as is well known, are under the manage
every point. It follows that the farmers feel and
have deeper interest in the matter Of railroad
supervision than any other class of our people,
rand it is not only the privilege but the duty Of
the legislature to make that supervision close,
Watchtul and effective.
It is especially desirable in this state. where
tho chief industry is agriculture, chat the trans
pOrtation rates be as low as is consistent with q
fair return on the actual capital invested In the
roads. Indeed it is ques tionable If the original
-oost of a road furnishes certain criterion of
what it should be allowed TO earn, or by which
I to fix it's rates. Values of orher kinds Of prop
I erty fuctuate, and railroad propertyis no excep-
ton to the rule. II railroads can be constructed
I and eq tipped at from 80 to SO per cent less